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Last week's flash fire at an ExxonMobil refinery in Beaumont, Texas, began when hydrocarbons ignited from a heat exchanger, company spokeswoman Kathleen Jackson said. What caused the ignition is not yet known. The incident injured 12 workers.

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ExxonMobil has announced it will begin construction this year to expand capacity at its Beaumont refinery complex in Texas. Upon completion, daily refining capacity at the facility will increase by about 40,000 barrels per day.

ExxonMobil said Tuesday it plans to add about 20,000 barrels of light crude oil per day to the production capacity of its Beaumont, Texas, refinery amid a surge in low-cost light crude supplies from shale. Jerry Wascom, president of ExxonMobil Refining and Supply, said, "This investment further strengthens the competitiveness of the company's strategic assets in North America and enhances U.S. energy security."

Coal emits more greenhouse gases than Marcellus Shale natural gas in terms of electricity generation, according to ExxonMobil's research unit. "We conclude that substantial [greenhouse gas] reductions and freshwater savings may result from the replacement of coal-fired power generation with gas-fired power generation," the report found.

Twelve contract workers were injured after a fire broke out at ExxonMobil's refinery in Beaumont, Texas, officials said. The incident occurred in a process unit that was offline for maintenance, said Rachael Moore, a spokeswoman for Exxon. "We sincerely regret this has happened and will conduct a complete investigation to determine the cause of the incident," she said.